Western Colorado Wineries and wines are beginning to make a big splash across the pages of the national wine magazines. Most people do not think of Western Colorado as wine country. But surprise! It is fantastic wine country. In recent years there has been an explosion of grapes on the western slope. The Grand Valley is rich with vineyards and, wineries, each offering a different taste.
The Western Colorado region is famous for the red wines and Chardonnay as well as, semi-sweet fruit wines. The local producers here have discovered that the dry climate mixed with the ability to control the irrigated water make it idea area for growing grapes.
The altitude and climate set our wines apart from other areas? Located at the base of The Grand Mesa and on the banks of the Colorado River, It has the ideal climate for producing grapes. The long hot sunny days provides ideal conditions to enhance the natural sugars of the grapes. The cool evenings help the grape to retain the ideal balance of acids. It is the perfect formula for premium wine production.
Two of the most popular grapes grow well in Western Colorado, chardonnay and merlot. Some of the other common wines produced here are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot noir, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, and Viogner.
You can easily combine a wine tour or a spontatious visit into any Western Colorado vacation. It is fun to taste and decide which wines is your favorite. Wine tasting before you buy is the best way to select wines you really like.
For a day or an afternoon you can ride a limousine and immerse yourself into the romantic world of Grand Valley wine. You can sniff, swirl and swill to your hearts content. These tours are different. They are laid-back, slower, and less commercialized. No snobbery here…just plain old fashion fun. Most Colorado Wineries Tastings are complimentary.
During the tour of the local wineries you will meet the wine makers, and taste a variety of wine, in a variety of picturesque locations.
These are family run enterprises. You will meet the wine maker, the bottler, the tractor driver as well as, a most gracious host.
They proudly grow grapes and make wines, where passion shows in the bottle. A tours is just great old fashion country fun. You will be treated like a quest not a just customer. That’s just the Western Colorado way.
There are two Wine trails in Western Colorado. The largest is The Grand Valley Trail with over 30 vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms.
West Elk Wine Trail
The West Elk Trail is a wonderful ride in the countryside visiting high altitude vineyards on the sunny lower slopes of the Grand Mesa in Delta country. To West Elk Wine Trail
Althought Southwestern Colorado has only three wineries they are easily incorporated into your vacation.
Four Corners Wineries
Four Corners Wineries tasting tour is an experience to savor. There are only three wineries in the region of Western colorado but ypu can easy incorporate them in you travels. Among the three wineries sprinkled throughout Southwestern are small, family-run operations.
This itinerary incorporates the region’s most complementary wine flavors. As you travel from vineyard to vineyard, you will be greeted with a panoramic view of the San Juan Mountains. The narrow country roads travel though slope-side vineyards surrounded by pine trees and gamble oak. On the tour You friendly hosts will be delighted to share their knowledge and passion for their winemaking craft with you. The atmosphere here is always laid back, friendly and unrushed.
It seems like there is a special relationships with local wineries, vineyards and other wine-focused festival in the four corners area. Here are the wineries:
Guy Drew Vineyards/Crooked Creek
20057 Road G, Cortez, CO 81321
P: 970.565.4958 E: guydrew@ftitel.net
www.guydrewvineyards.com
Directions: From Cortez go S on Hwy 491/160 to first stoplight(M&M; Truckstop); W at light on Road G, 4.2 miles, on N side.
Honeyville
(A Tasting Room for Meadery of the Rockies ) Directions: 10 miles N of Durango on Hwy 550.
Sutcliffe Vineyards
12202 Road G, Cortez, CO 81321
When is the best time to visit wine country?
The best time is festival time in the fall during right after harvest.
The Grand Celebration of local wines is the Colorado Mountain Winefest. It is a four day event held ever September at the Riverbend Park in Palisade. It is the Grand Daddy showcase for Colorado wines..
